Windhorst: Jae Crowder, Suns Have Resumed Trade Talks After Cam Johnson Injury

Six weeks after announcing Jae Crowder wouldn't be with the team during training camp amid trade speculation, the Phoenix Suns are re-engaging in talks about dealing the veteran forward.

On The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 14:00 mark), ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported the Suns "have picked up" conversations about trading Crowder.

The news comes after Windhorst reported earlier this week that Cameron Johnson will miss one to two months after having surgery to remove part of his meniscus.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Sept. 25 that Crowder and the Suns agreed he wouldn't participate in training camp as the two sides worked on a trade.

That same day, Crowder sent out a tweet that indicated he didn't feel wanted by the Suns anymore:

Per John Gambadaro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, Crowder wanted an extension, but the Suns didn't feel inclined to give him a new deal. The 32-year-old also lost his spot in the starting lineup to Johnson.

Johnson has been a crucial part of Phoenix's starting five so far this season. The North Carolina alum was averaging 13.0 points per game and shooting 43.1 percent from three-point range in eight starts prior to his injury.

Charania reported on Oct. 24 that Phoenix has "been engaged in talks" with the Milwaukee Bucks about Crowder. The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat were also said to have interest.

Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Heat officials believe their team is Crowder's preferred destination. He previously played with Miami for 20 games at the end of the 2019-20 season after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade.

Crowder originally signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Suns in November 2020. He has been an essential role player, averaging 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 127 appearances over the past two seasons.

The Suns haven't skipped a beat without Crowder while compiling an 8-3 record. They rank in the top two in offensive and defensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.com.